Mint tea recipe , Mint chai

Mint tea | pudina chai | mint chai is a milk based tea with the addition of fresh mint leaves in it. Generally we add ginger or cardamom or tea masala for making chai | tea. When i did Women's day Live on Jeyashri's kitchen facebook, after the session Radhika made this mint chai for me. It was so refreshing and i enjoyed every sip of the tea. Later at home i tried this few times and also served for a friend who visited us directly from the office. The feedback for the mint tea made me to post the recipe of how to make mint tea. Try this simple refreshing tea with easy ingredients.
I am back after 3 weeks of vacation to India, for our son's poonal(thread ceremony). The event went off very well and we are slowly coming back to routine. Stay tuned for new recipes. Thanks for your support always.

Idli Milagai podi with garlic | Side dish for Idli dosa

 Milagai podi | Molaga podi is a classic combo for idli|dosa. I have already posted Milagai podi in Jeyashri's kitchen. This is another version of milagai podi with garlic. Usually in our home we do not add garlic in Milagai podi. A friend shared with me this version of idli milagai podi and also shared with me a portion of the same with me. It tasted very well. The original version she told was to add 2 cloves of garlic but i wanted the garlic flavour to be little more and so i added more garlic. Try this out and let me know how it turned out.

Palak paneer biryani | Easy Lunch box recipes

Palak Paneer biryani with video

Palak paneer is a classic combo, which generally makes a combo in gravy as a side dish for chapathi. I have posted Palak paneer gravy in Jeyashri's kitchen. As schools are reopening for kids in many places, i thought i will post this easy and kids friendly lunch box recipe. This palak paneer biryani is an easy one pot meal, loved by all at home. Try it out at home and I am sure kids will love this.

Palak paneer biryani

  Preparation Time : 15 mins | Cooking Time : 25 Mins |Serves: 3-4


     Basmati rice  1 cup
     Palak leaves  1 cup (15-17 leaves)
     Mint leaves  a handful
     Garlic  4 cloves
     Biryani masala*  1 tsp
     Oil  2 tblsp
     Ghee  1 tblsp
     Cashew nuts  few (optional)
     Red chili powder  1 tsp
     Salt  as needed
     Sugar  1/2 tsp
     Onion  2
     Tomato  1
     Coriander leaves  few to garnish 
*I used store bought biryani masala.

Method:

• Soak the basmati rice in 1 cup of water  for 15 minutes.
• Blanch the palak by dipping it in hot water for a minute. 
• Add the sugar in the water, this will help to retain the green color of the palak leaves.
• Drain the water and take out the leaves.

• Grind the palak leaves along with mint and garlic into a fine paste. 

• In a pressure cooker add oil and ghee.
• Chop the onions into long.
• Add the cinnamon stick.
• Add the onions and saute till they turn golden brown. Keep the flame and do not burn it.

• Chop the tomatoes finely and add it.
• Cook for 2 minutes and add red chili powder and mix well.

• Add the ground palak masala to this. Add the paneer cubes to this. Cook for 2 minutes. 

• Mix well and cook till the raw smell goes.  Add the soaked rice along with the water.

• Add the Biryani masala too. If you do not have anything, you can add garam masala.
• Cover and cook till 2 whistles or you can cook for 1 whistle and keep it in a very low flame for 10 minutes and switch off the stove.

• If adding cashew nuts roast them in ghee and add it to the pulao. 
• Fluff it up with fork. Gently mix it up.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

• Serve palak paneer biryani with onion raita .

Notes:

1. You can add bay leaf, cardamom and star anise too while adding the cinnamon.
2. While grinding add a small piece ginger and also little fennel seeds. 
3. Instead of adding cashew nuts in the last, you can grind this too along with mint and palak. Soak in hot water for 10 minutes and then add.
4. Palak paneer biryani tastes awesome and flavourful even after 2 hours. 

Palak khichidi | Palak dal khichidi recipe

Palak Khichidi | palak dal Khichidi is a simple comforting one pot meal. We all love dal khichidi but i have tried this palak dal khicidi for the first time. I got the recipe from a friend whom i met in a cookery show. We all loved it and enjoyed it for lunch. You can have this for dinner too. Dal khichidi is similar to south Indian pongal but with the addition of few other spices. Try this at home and make your meal a healthy one.

Vegetarian Fried bee hoon recipe | Rice noodles recipe

Vegetarian fried bee hoon | Mee hoon is a Popular Singapore | Malaysian local food made with rice noodles. It is similar to the veg hakka noodles we make using the Indo chinese method. This fried mee hoon | bee hoon | fried noodles is widely available in all food courts in Singapore and Malaysia. They mostly serve the non veg version of the bee hoon, but many stalls have the vegetarian fried bee hoon too. Though i am not a big fan of this bee hoon, Varsha and Suresh who always love to explore new cuisine likes this bee hoon a lot. I learnt this recipe from my Malaysian Tamil friend Rubini, who patiently explained me the recipe, even in her busy schedule with the little kid. Thank you so much for the recipe. My family enjoyed the noodles and i have already made this twice on popular demand. Check out the Teh tarik another local tea recipe.

Onion rasam recipe | Vengaya rasam

Onion rasam is a simple south Indian rasam recipe. I have tried this for the first time, and loved the taste of the rasam. It tasted similar to vengaya vatha kuzhambu, i can say it is a thinner version of vengaya vathakuzhambu. If you love the flavour of small onions then you will surely love this onion rasam. Check out my garlic rasam too.

Onion rasam recipe

  Preparation Time : 15 mins | Cooking Time : 25 Mins |Serves: 4-5


     Small onions | shallots| chinna vengayam 15-20
     Tomato  2
     Tamarind  a small gooseberry sized
     Rasam powder  1 tsp
     Black pepper  1tsp
    Jeeragam | cumin seeds 1 tsp
    Turmeric powder  1/4 tsp
     Toor dal   2 tblsp (cooked)
    Salt as needed
    Curry leaves   few
    Coriander leaves  few
    Ghee   1 tsp
    Mustard seeds   1/4 tsp
    Asafoetida  2 pinches
     
     

Method:

• Grind the tomatoes and filter it. Filtering is optional. I want the rasam to be more thin and not cloudy.

• Grind the black pepper, cumin seeds, coriander and curry leaves in a mixie in a coarse mixture.

• Add hot water to the tamarind and extract thin tamarind juice. 
• In a pan add 1 tsp oil and add the onions.
• Saute it till becomes soft. Do not burn it.

• Add the tomato juice, tamarind juice, turmeric powder, rasam powder,asafoetida and salt.

• Add the coarsely ground pepper mixture. Mix well. Let this boil for 7-8 minutes.

• Add 1 cup of water to the cooked toor dal and add it to the boiling mixture.
• Let this froths up.
• Switch off the flame and temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves.

• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Onion Rasam is ready to serve with hot rice.

Notes:

1. You can chop few tomatoes and add it to the rasam if you want bits of tomatoes.
2. You can pound few garlic pods and add it to the rasam. 
3. If you want you can use big onions also for this onion rasam.

Veg uttapam recipe | Vegetable Uthappam

Veg uttapam | uttapam is a South Indian breakfast recipe, generally made with left over idli|dosa batter. I have posted small uttapam recipe in jeyashri's kitchen inspired by Murugan Idli kadai. I actually wanted to try 5 taste uttapam but since i have already posted mini masala uttapam recipe, i thought i will make the normal veg uthapam. The uttapam was quite filling and loaded with veggies. You can serve this without any chutney or sambar too.

Mango Shrikand recipe | Mango recipes

Shrikand is an Indian sweet made with strained yogurt. I have already posted kesar shrikand recipe. I wanted to try out Mango shrikand recipe this time. Few days back when i was talking to a Maharastrian friend she was talking about this Mango shrikand and also told me about Aam Piyush a mango drink. Both the recipes sounded so interesting and today i am posting the recipe of Mango shrikand. It is a no cook recipe, only the yogurt should be hung in a muslin cloth or keep it in a tea strainer as i did. Check out my full collection of Mango recipes.

Paneer cutlet recipe | Millet paneer cutlet

Paneer cutlet with millet, i tried this for the first time in a cookery class here in Singapore. Even when i was trying this at home before the class, it was a loved by everyone. Also it was a super hit recipe in the class too. Paneer and cooked millet are the main ingredients and gram flour |kadalai maavu is used for binding. It is a perfect starter for parties. Also you can stuff this inside the burger and serve for kids. I won't say this is a healthy cutlet recipe but you can make it healthy by cooking the cutlets on a pan.

Check out my

• Beetroot cutlet
• Soya chunks cutlet
• Semiya cutlet  

Mango dip recipe | Mango recipes

Mango sauce recipe

Mango dip | mango sauce is a dip made with ripe mangoes. This is an excellent dressing for salad too. You can serve this as a dip for any spicy paneer tikka or vietnamese spring rolls are some plain cut salad veggies. Even you can serve with plain cut raw mangoes too. Check out my full collection of mango recipes.